20. STUDENT MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF ESP EMPLOYEES

20.1 ESP Assault

20.1.1 Any ESP who has suffered an assault in connection with his/her employment shall immediately make a written report, within seventy-two hours, of the circumstances thereof to his/her administrator on the appropriate form in triplicate. The administrator must verify the facts connected with the assault including names of those involved and submit the original report of assault to the Office of Risk Management within seventy-two hours of the event being reported. A copy of the assault report shall be retained by the principal/supervisor, and a copy furnished to the individual assaulted.

20.1.2 In addition, an ESP who has suffered an assault may be requested to submit supplemental written reports.

20.1.3 School Security shall investigate any reported ESP assault and make a full report to the Office of Risk Management. Such reports shall be available to the Association and the individual who suffered the assault.

20.1.4 A student accused of assault and/or battery upon an ESP shall be immediately removed from the classroom setting pending disposition of the allegation.

20.1.5 Assault and/or battery upon an ESP that is confirmed shall afford the ESP the opportunity to give input to the administration and/or the school's placement review committee on the student's potential return to the ESP employee's classroom setting.

20.2 Safety of Students and ESP Employees

20.2.1 ESP employees shall not be required to serve as security personnel during a period of civil disobedience, bomb threats, or assaults on students or ESP employees by trespassers. Paraprofessionals will make a reasonable effort to assist in seeing that their students are protected while under their supervision.

20.2.2 Appropriate safety precautions shall be taken at all times at ESP work sites. If an ESP is aware that a safety hazard exists, he/she shall inform the appropriate administrator as soon as possible.

20.2.3 Safety shall be considered when ESP employees are required to make home/neighborhood visits. Some type of official district employee identification shall be provided to these employees.

20.2.4 ESP employees shall be informed when the district is informed, of any student in his/her classroom involved in serious types of offenses. This information is of a confidential nature, protected by state and federal acts insuring privacy, and shall be used only on a "need to know" basis.

20.2.5 The Administration and/or the supervising teachers shall give specific directions to ESP employees on the management and discipline of the students. ESP employees shall not be responsible for student discipline referrals except in emergency situations. ESP employees shall report all student behavior problems to their supervising teachers, supervising administration, and/or in the case of DEES Attendant Riders, to their bus drivers.

20.2.6 When a teacher is absent from the classroom, and ESP may send a student to the office to maintain effective discipline in the classroom and/or to maintain a safe and productive learning environment for the student's classmates.

20.2.7 The Administration shall give ESP employees who are performing student safety duty assignments with groups of fifty or more students written directions for procedures in handling emergency and/or discipline situations.